


Justification

by 00AwkwardPenguin00



Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [22]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: (Zuko's a former soldier after all), Episode: s02e10 The Library, Gen, I know it's been a while, Rating for Language, Sokka's a moron but we love him anyway, Wan Shi Tong isn't unreasonable, as a treat, but everyone should remember that Zuko is in fact a prince, he just wants to be left alone with his books, with all of the training in diplomacy that implies, yes y'all can have a little canon-divergance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-03
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:15:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26793469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00AwkwardPenguin00/pseuds/00AwkwardPenguin00
Summary: Zuko would like to make it clear for the record that this entire thing is Sokka's fault.
Relationships: Aang & Katara & Sokka & Toph & Zuko (Avatar), No Romantic Relationship(s), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Dragon of the Yuyan [22]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582384
Comments: 252
Kudos: 2230





	Justification

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MuffinLance](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuffinLance/gifts).



> HEY Y'ALL GUESS WHO'S BACK!
> 
> Thanks to everyone who sent me well-wishes for my aliyah! It took a little bit to get my brain in gear, but I learned my portion to perfection and everything went great! Thank you all for your understanding and patience while I was on hiatus! Now the High Holy Days are over, and I've got over a month of updates ready, so we're back in business!
> 
> Thanks again everyone, and enjoy!

The Fire Nation section of Wan Shi Tong’s library is ashes.

Sokka’s moaning about the tactical disadvantage this puts them (him) at, but Zuko can’t stop staring. He suddenly, keenly understands how Aang had felt seeing the unintentional (at best) desecration of the Northern Air Temple.

_ This is the history of my people _ . Thousands of years of Fire Nation history and tradition and culture, things from long before fucking Sozin rose to power and  _ ruined _ everything, just  _ gone _ . Destroyed. 

“ _ This _ is why I did not want humans, especially  _ firebenders _ , in my library,” Wan Shi Tong’s deep voice comments, well laced with bitterness and disgust. “Humans do nothing but destroy each other and themselves and everything around them.”

Zuko wants to argue, he really does, but he gets the feeling that attempting to do so could potentially be hazardous to his health. Instead, he turns to face the owl spirit head on and drops into seiza.

**_I can’t apologize for the actions of all humans, because that is not my place,_ ** he signs,  **_but as Prince of the Fire Nation, I can apologize for the despicable actions of my countrymen. I am deeply, truly sorry for this destruction, and this irreplaceable loss. If and when I am Fire Lord, I will do whatever I can within my power to assist in rebuilding your collection. You have my word, as Zuko of the Royal Caldera and of the Yuyan Tribe._ ** He then folds into a full bow, forehead resting on the ashy stone floor, hands placed at an obtuse angle, and holds it for just slightly longer than he would for a reigning Fire Lord or Earth Monarch.

Wan Shi Tong’s beady black eyes are fathomless and penetrating, but Zuko gets the sense that he managed to surprise the spirit somehow. 

“How interesting,” Wan Shi Tong muses. “You put much more effort into lying to me than your Water Tribe companion.”

Zuko freezes. He’s  _ never _ been accused of being a liar in earnest— the only time had been the fight that had gotten Zheng transferred to Banli Squad. It’s a well-established fact in both the Yuyan Archers  _ and _ Team Avatar that Zuko can’t lie  _ for shit _ , and Toph takes great pleasure in reminding him of that fact every chance she gets. 

**_I'm not lying!_ ** Zuko protests.  **_I swear! I swear on my mother's memory!_ **

Wan Shi Tong blinks. They stare at each other for a few endless moments, until the owl spirit hums.

"How novel––a human who tells the truth, in as much as he knows it," Wan Shi Tong declares. "Very well, Zuko of the Royal Caldera and of the Yuyan Tribe. You will ascend the Caldera Throne of the Fire Nation, and you will do everything in your mortal power to assist in rebuilding what your countryman has destroyed. In exchange, I will allow you and your companions to leave unmolested with the knowledge you seek, so long as none of you ever return.”

**_Thank you, Honorable Spirit,_ ** Zuko signs, then folds back into another full bow. 

Wan Shi Tong makes a mild  _ hrmph _ sound, almost exactly the way both the Head Librarian at the Palace and the Head Archivist at the Stronghold had, and turns away. “Come,” the owl spirit commands, and Zuko leaps up to obey.

They walk in silence through the library, and reach the planetarium just as Sokka’s voice rings out:  _ “—we’ll invade the Fire Nation when they’re totally helpless. The Fire Lord is going down!” _

Zuko slaps his forehead as he feels Wan Shi Tong’s feathers bristle.

**_Honorable Spirit, please remember our deal,_ ** he signs rapidly.  **_My friend is a moron and shouldn’t have tried to trick you, but I swore on my mother’s memory to help you rebuild your Fire Nation collection. I cannot hold my end of our bargain if you kill me and my friends before I can claim the Caldera Throne._ **

Wan Shi Tong’s eyes narrow dangerously, and Zuko has the distinct feeling of being on the receiving end of an impressive sneer if the spirit had lips to curl. The glossy black feathers stay bristled on the spirit’s shoulders for a moment or two more, then smooth down as Wan Shi Tong sighs.

“Very well.”

The spirit glides into the room, voice ringing out. “Humans are so predictable. And such terrible liars. You have betrayed my trust, but Prince Zuko has convinced me to allow you to leave here with your lives and the knowledge you have gained. Leave now, and do not come back.”

Wan Shi Tong turns and leaves, leaving two growling foxes behind. Sokka scrambles back over to the mechanism in the center of the room, frantically turning the dials until the planetarium shows a total solar eclipse. He scribbles down the date, and then they all book it for the rope they'd used to enter the library. As Zuko climbs up the rope hand over hand, he feels eyes on his back, and turns to find Wan Shi Tong's fathomless gaze directed at him. He bows his head to the spirit, and Wan Shi Tong nods back.

They emerge from the top of the library spire into a blinding sandstorm, and are forced to hug the outer wall of the spire as they rappel down. When they reach the ground, Zuko forces Sokka and Katara to shield Aang while he carefully navigates the base of the spire to find Toph. He literally trips over her as she's huddled on nearly the opposite side of the spire from the rest of the group. He grabs her arm, taps  _ it's Zuko _ on her shoulder, and shields her from the wind and sand with his body as he guides her around the rest of the spire to join the others. Sokka shifts to nudge Toph snugly beside Aang, and Zuko takes position beside Katara on Aang's other side. 

It's two hours before the storm finally dies down, according to Zuko's sense of the sun. They're very nearly buried in sand, and Zuko's scar stings like it hasn't in  _ years _ , but they're alive. 

They're alive, but when they dig out and look around, Appa is gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Next time: **Escort**


End file.
